Red Cross on Hand to Support Families of Passengers from Flight 3407

Staff and volunteers of the American Red Cross of Northern New Jersey are on-hand assisting the families of passengers from Continental Flight 3407, as well as airline staff. The plane crashed in Clarence Center, N.Y. on Thursday evening at 10:20pm. Forty-eight people were reportedly on board.

Family members and loved ones of passengers and crew aboard Flight 3407 should contact the airline directly at 1-800-621-3263.

Four Fires in 48 Hours

In the last 48 hours, we have responded to four fires! On Thursday, we were called upon to help a family in Orange and also in Mt. Arlington. Today, we have already responded to fires in Hawthorne and Newark. And the day is not even close to over!

Our Chapter pretty much responds to a fire a day on average. While we don't know what is causing these fires, we can only keep spreading the message of fire safety and Red Cross training so that folks know how to react should such an emergency arise.

Would you know what to do if a fire occurred at your home or workplace? Are you CPR and First Aid trained? Hopefully you are, but if you're not, the Northern New Jersey Chapter is here to help. We offer tons of preparedness and disaster training classes for people of all ages. Check out our website for more information.

Stay safe New Jersey!

Earthquake Rocks Morris County

If you haven't already heard, a 3.0 magnitude earthqauke rocked Morris County on the evening of February 2. Many people don't think that earthquakes hit the east coast, let alone northern New Jersey. Don't tell that to Bill Young, our chapter's Director of Response. He'll be the first to tell you that more natural disasters can occur here than you think, including hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes. And he proved his point when last night's earthquake hit.

Thankfully, there have been no reports of injuries or damages related to this event, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't be prepared in the wake of another earthquake or similar natural disaster.

The Red Cross offers a variety of safety and preparedness tips on everything from winter storms and cold weather to earthquakes, tornadoes and wildfires. Visit our Be Prepared section of our website to learn more. It's never too late to be prepared for the unexpected!

Rock Out for the Red Cross

I have yet to experience the "Rock 'n' Red" Battle of the Bands for myself, but I hear it's super cool. And it sure sounds it. Currently in it's second year, the competition / fundraiser is put together by our Youth Council and searches for a band comprised of at least three band members to battle it out with other bands while raising money and awareness for the Red Cross.

I know there are tons of bands out there that are looking to get exposure and discovered and just compete in something like this. This is your chance. Last year's event was extremely successful and covered by many of our local newspapers. And this year, we're hoping it's even better than ever!

Now you're wondering, how do I get involved? Ok, here are the rules, contact info and everything you need to know to participate.

Each band will perform for approximately 20 minutes and be judged by a panel of experts in the music field. The top prize, valued at $1,500 and donated by The Original Music School (OMS), includes a month of weekly songwriting/arranging sessions with professional music producers and songwriters, and a four-hour recording session at the OMS studio in Cedar Knolls.

To enter, eligible bands should submit a DVD, video and/or CD demo that includes all band members and features two to three original songs; a band bio; a digital band photo; and a completed application to: The American Red Cross of Northern New Jersey, “Rock ‘n’ Red”, 29 Elm Street, Morristown, NJ 07960. The deadline for entries is February 20.

So what are you waiting for? Fire up those guitars, grab your microphone and send us your submissions! For everything you need to know, including rules, regulations and entry forms, click here. Additional questions? Call Karen Winlund, Youth Coordinator, at 973-538-2160 ext. 206.

Welcome to our blog!

It took us awhile, but we are finally here! The Northern New Jersey Chapter has a blog! This has been something that we have wanted to start for some time now but unfortunately it has fallen to the wayside...until now.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with our Chapter, we are the largest Red Cross Chapter in New Jersey. We serve the 3.5 million people residing in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic and Warren counties. We respond to disasters lager and small; from fires and floods, to building collapses and hazardous material spills. Most recently, we assisted with United Airlines Flight 1549 plane crash into the Hudson River. Our staff and volunteers provide disaster victims with disaster relief, including food, clothing, shelter and crisis counseling. We also prepare your community for the unexpected with disaster and preparedness training, such as CPR, First Aid, AED, Water Safety, Babysitting and Lifeguarding. Some of our other services include emergency communciations to military members and their families, blood collection, braille transcription, and international tracing services. We depend on time, money and blood from our communities to sustain our mission.

We are always looking for dedicated volunteers to help support the Red Cross mission: helping people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. Our headquarters are located in Fairfield, and we have service centers in Jersey City, Ridgewood, Morristown, Paterson and Belvidere. We also have a blood donor center on-site, making it easy and convenient to give the life-saving gift of blood.

This is an introduction to our Chapter. Please check back with us frequently to learn more about upcoming events, what we have responded to, how you can help, and anything and everything Red Cross!